A Q&A with a Baltimore School for the Arts Teacher, Entrepreneur, and Recent Film Graduate from Towson University

In today’s Member Spotlight, we’re excited to introduce Myah Stokes—a teacher, entrepreneur, and filmmaker. As both an artist and educator, Myah combines her love for storytelling with a passion for filmmaking, curating pieces that shed light on important topics and connect meaningfully with her audience. One such work is her personal documentary, Year After, which explores grief and the emotional complexity of loss and healing.

In addition to her creative work, Myah has entered the world of entrepreneurship by founding her own production company, Mpire Productions. Her journey is a powerful reminder that following your passion can lead to meaningful, authentic success.

Read along to get an insider’s peek into Myah’s world as a creative.

Q&A

What do you do for work?

I am an educator at my alma mater, Baltimore School for the Arts. When I am not teaching, I am working for my company, Mpire Productions LLC. Mpire Productions is a film production company based in Baltimore, MD.

How are you a creative in your field?

I discover ways to be creative throughout everything I do. Within my career, I utilize the arts as my creative outlet. Whether it be creating a documentary short, or planning the score for an upcoming film, I always source from an idea and go from there.

What’s your favorite project you’ve ever worked on?

My favorite project I worked on was creating my first documentary, as a passion project for my company. The documentary was about grief. Grief is something that does not see color, age, or gender. Everyone will have to grieve at some point in their lives – some earlier than others. Through this documentary, I am committed to representing a diverse range of experiences and perspectives. I hope this emotional documentary will spark action and urge the audience to have an open conversation about grief and loss with their families and friends and promote unity and the outpour of love and compassion.

If you had to give one piece of advice to other creatives looking to start a career in your field, what would you say?

Advice I would offer to other creatives interested in starting a career within entrepreneurship and filmmaking is to understand it all takes time. Your products and services will not cater to everyone, but this will reveal who your target audience is. It took about two years into the start of my LLC until I got my first clients seeking video services. It is important to recognize that you will be growing and learn things throughout your business journey. Don’t attempt to get everything perfect when you start. We all have to start somewhere, but failing is a part of the growth process.

Do you have a highlighted project you’d like to share or something you’ve created recently that you are proud of?

We have several documentary films and one narrative film that is currently being sent to festivals, so I am unable to supply a link to the films. However, once Year After is done its festival run, it will be published on Mpire Productions’ YouTube channel. Our website and YouTube channel currently feature some shorts that we have worked on, in our early stages of becoming a film production company.

Key Takeaways

• You Can Find Creativity in Anything You Do: You don’t have to work in the arts to be creative. Many of us fall into the trap of narrowly defining creativity, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Creativity can show up in unexpected forms—like problem-solving, thinking outside the box, or even something as everyday as cooking. As long as you’re engaged in the process and approaching things in unique ways, you are a creative person. Myah finds her creativity through the lens of filmmaking. Where do you find yours?
• Fall in Love with the Process: Whether you’re starting a new career or pivoting into a completely new space, it’s easy to hope everything will go according to plan—but real growth takes time. Myah didn’t land her first client until two years in. Understanding your goals and passions will keep you grounded. If you’re constantly focused on the finish line, the journey can feel even slower. Falling in love with the process helps you stay present and appreciate your progress and work along the way.
• Perfectionism Is a Joy Killer: Don’t beat yourself up if things don’t go as planned in your personal or professional journey. Make space for mistakes, plan B’s, and the unexpected opportunities that may arise. Embracing trial and error helps you grow, better understand your goals, and maybe even discover a path you hadn’t considered. Don’t wait for everything to align perfectly—starting somewhere is essential, and failure is often part of the journey toward a better outcome.

Connect and Stay Up to Date with Myah!

Website: Mpire Productions

Instagram: @mpireproductionsllc

LinkedIn: Myah Stokes | LinkedIn

Email: info@mpireproductions.org